Belmont Shore parade marches to the beat of the holidays

Parade route, road closures

More than 100 entrants and a dozen marching bands will march and play their way along Second Street in Belmont Shore on Saturday for the 31st annual Belmont Shore Christmas Parade.

Parade organizer Dede Rossi, who is also executive director of the Belmont Shore Business Association, expects about 40,000 spectators, which is similar to attendance in previous years.

The parade – themed Christmas by the Sea and sponsored by the Port of Long Beach – in recent years has attracted spectators from farther away, Rossi said. The parade will last from 6 to 9 p.m. and is presented by Chill, a winter event at the Queen Mary.

Rossi suspects the parade won't actually help business owners along Second Street on Saturday. Some businesses likely will close their doors early that night to avoid the swarms of paradegoers.

The parade should be a little different this year, with Long Beach police cracking down on public drinking and street vendors, according to Rossi. Neither drinking nor vendors will be allowed at the parade.

Parade floats will be judged based on the execution of a theme, originality of design and spectator appeal.

Third district Councilman Gary DeLong will be grand marshal for the parade, and the Queen Mary will have a float honoring veterans from Pearl Harbor because the parade falls on the anniversary of the 1941 attacks.

Santa Claus also will join other local personalities and dignitaries at the event.

There will be more than 100 entries and a dozen marching bands traipsing down Second Street for the Belmont Shore Christmas Parade Saturday. Here’s a smattering of the participants:

• The Spirit of ’45 float

The Special Olympics’ big red bus

The Friends of Long Beach Animals float

The Knott’s Berry Farm coach and horses

The Long Beach Pride float

The Long Beach Police Department float and autos

The Colorado Lagoon Playground float

The Jelly of the Month Club float

The Queen Mary float

The Long Beach Fire Department Pipe Band

And, yes, Virginia, there will be a Santa Claus

Belmont Shore Christmas Parade route:

The parade begins at 6 p.m. Saturday and runs east along East Second Street in Belmont Shore, starting at Livingston Avenue and ending at Bayshore Avenue.

East Second Street will close at 5 p.m. from Livingston Drive to Bayshore Drive. No chairs or personal items are allowed on sidewalks, center medians or roped-off areas until 5 p.m.

Livingston Avenue from Ocean Boulevard to Second Street will close at 2 p.m. for staging parade participants.

All north-south streets from Quincy to Claremont Avenues will close at 4 p.m. between the immediate alleyways that run parallel to Second Street on north and south sides.

Roads will be fully reopened by 11 p.m.

Limited parking is available, while the Marine Stadium lot and beach parking lots will be open.

>> Arrive early. Many streets will be blocked off by 4 p.m., but avoid parking hassles by snagging a spot early. Just remember: You can't set up chairs or other personal items before 5 p.m.

>> Avoid street parking. It's sure to be packed. Instead, head to Marine Stadium, which will be open and provide free parking, or check the beach parking at Ocean Boulevard and Granada Avenue.

>> Leave the booze at home. Long Beach police will be patrolling in force this year and, according to parade organizers, they won't hesitate to give out citations for public imbibing.

>> Pack up your wares. As with the stricter alcohol enforcement, police won't hesitate to cite street vendors, none of whom is allowed at the parade. Save the street wares for another day and another place.

>> Dress warmly and pack an umbrella. The mercury is supposed to reach a daytime high of 55 degrees Saturday. The temperature is only going to drop in the evening, and there's an 80 percent chance of rain. The parade will go on either way.

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